The Man Who Established The Telecom System In India Along With Ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi

We often have given credits to politicians for a lot of positive work irrespective of party lines. But there has always been an expert team behind every great initiative. We look at one such visionary who laid the foundations of telecom and digital boom of India. Sam Pitroda can be easily called as the pioneer of the telecom industry in India. His visionaries and efforts brought about a telecom revolution in the country.

Early life
Satyanarayan (abbreviated to ‘Sam’ by a clerk who couldn’t pronounce his name) Gangaram Pitroda was born to a family of a labour in the Titilagarh of India. His family was deeply influenced by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, and hence Sam was sent to study in Gujarat to imbibe Gandhian philosophy. In school he developed interest in Physics, which introduced him to various ideas. After school he pursued his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

Pathbreaking work in the United States
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s Pitroda was involved in technology research work in telecommunications and hand-held computing. In 1966 he went to work for GTE in Chicago.[8] He is regarded as one of the earliest pioneers of hand-held computing because of his invention of the Electronic Diary in 1975. He was also the pioneer of mobile wallet that gave a mobile payment systems.

Return to India
He was in America, when he came across the plight of telephone services in India. So he returned to India and spent nearly a decade with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as leader of an effort to build an Indian information industry. The task was to extend digital telecommunications to every corner of the country, including remote villages. He set up the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984. Thus began the transformation of India’s telecommunications system. It was an indigenous telephone technology that networked the rural telephone exchanges (RAX).

With Rajiv Gandhi, Pitroda worked on other developmental issues in India and established National Technology Missions concerning about drinking water, literacy rate and immunisation. He also the adviser to the Prime Minister. Pitroda returned to India for the second time in 2004 as head of a newly-formed National Knowledge Commission and, later, as adviser to the Prime Minister with rank of a cabinet minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, to help democratize information.

Pitroda founded and served as Chairman of C-SAM, and holds around 100 technology patents. Hi is a serial entrepreneur having businesses like Wescom Switching, Ionics, MTI, Martek, WorldTel, C-SAM, etc. in the US and Europe. He was also an advisor to the United Nations. He is main who worked relentlessly without letting anything come between his dreams. He wished to see India as a modern nation, which he has been able to incorporate in the country.

The Logical Indian thanks Mr Sam Pitroda for his service to the country, for his initiatives which laid the foundations of tech India. We hope he will continue to serve India in some capacity or the other and inspire more like him to take India forward.

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There Is Nothing That Women Cannot Do, This Women’s Day Spread The Message Of Equality

Little did the thousands of women who stepped out on the streets of the then Russian Empire know, that their protest would become the theme for women’s rights across the world, for eternity.

It was March 8, 1917, when women textile workers in Petrograd (capital of the Russian Empire) marched for their right to vote. Since then, the day is commemorated to celebrate women worldwide.

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A century later, have we progressed?

Yes, we’ve come a long way since the first women’s rights movements, but a long road still lies ahead.

Even in 2018, women do not enjoy equal status to men in all spheres. We still hear phrases like ‘don’t run like a girl’, ‘don’t throw like a girl’ or ‘don’t dress like a girl’. The ones making the statements remain ignorant to the fact that running like a girl is the same as ‘running like a boy’ – with all your might; throwing like a girl is the same as ‘throwing like a boy’ – with all your power; and dressing like a girl is the same as ‘dressing like a boy’ – in whatever makes you comfortable.

Women have time and again proved that they can do ANYTHING, and this video by ParleG aims to showcase just this. It is time we realised that women are capable of achieving great heights because #ZiddiChhoriya never give up.

Despite the hushed talks, the demotivation and the doubts, women have worked hard to become athletes, scientists, singers, poets, writers, chefs, army persons, and what not. In fields where they were not recognised before, women are making strides. Their determination and will power are making those who questioned them, question themselves.

What is it that women cannot do? From trekking Mount Everest to making beautiful paintings? As the video correctly portrays, #ZiddiChhoriya are representing India at international stages, playing drums, leading teams, and motivating others to do the same.

It is because of these women who show immense perseverance that other women are inspired to chase their dreams.

This Women’s Day, let us salute the power of women. Let us spread awareness about equality, and lead by example.